More particularly, the invention relates to a liquid filter cartridge (e.g. for engine lubricating oil) comprising an outer casing defining an inside volume containing a filter element that separates said inside volume into an upstream space and a downstream space, the casing including an end wall defining at least one liquid inlet passage communicating with the upstream space, and a liquid outlet passage communicating with the downstream space, said casing being adapted to be mounted on a support that includes a liquid inlet channel designed to communicate with the inlet passage, a liquid outlet channel designed to communicate with the outlet passage, and a drain channel communicating with the inlet passage.
Document DE-A-3 432 855 discloses such a filter cartridge mounted on an engine block and including a movable plug that closes the drain channel when the cartridge is mounted on the engine block and that opens said drain channel when the cartridge is removed. The system described in that document requires a moving part to be fitted to the engine block and thus requires the manufacturer to assemble parts to the casting of the engine block. That system is therefore complex and expensive.